Seems to be a bit more than terracing.Originally Posted by DCSIL
CARRICK RANGERS FC RECEIVE GREEN LIGHT FOR TWO NEW STANDS
Planning permission has been approved for two new stands at Carrick Rangers Football Club.
"The existing west stand at Taylor’s Avenue will be demolished to make way for a replacement which will be able to accommodate up to 568 fans.
There will also be provision for new changing rooms, toilets and first floor viewing lounge and educational and training rooms, turnstiles and security/media tower.
There will also be a new 635-seater east stand and repositioning of floodlights and fencing."
As for funding:
"Earlier this week, the Department for Communities (DfC) was urged to progress the distribution of funding earmarked for investment in football grounds in Northern Ireland which would contribute to finance for development of the new facilities at Carrick Rangers.
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council in association with Carrick Rangers, Larne FC and Ballymena United is bidding for £17m funding.
In 2015, the Northern Ireland Executive allocated £36m for a stadia funding programme for local football. Following the return of power-sharing at Stormont in January this year, the Executive stated its intention to complete the programme.
The three clubs recently submitted their responses to a DfC evidence-gathering survey on regional stadia facilities in Northern Ireland which aimed to identify strategic priorities for the development of soccer and on Tuesday a meeting took place with DfC officials to press for funding."
(Report of 11 September 2020: https://www.carrickfergustimes.co.uk...stands-2968440 )
Even for the three clubs combined, I'd say they haven't a hope of getting £17m, but maybe they mean a portion of the £17m left over after Glentoran get their (promised) £10m for The Oval and DCFC get something similar for The Brandywell, as previously rumoured? (My speculation)
Leave Termonbarry Alberts out of this.
You're hanging an awful lot of hope on an unofficial and unwritten agreement/carve up that was allegedly made between two senior politicians who are no longer involved in politics (and one of whom is dead). There is nothing to hold Stormont to what they did or didn't agree in what now feels like ancient history. The Oval's case will no doubt have to stand or fall on its own merits viz-a-viz all the other applications. With only £36m (?) to go round, giving just one club almost a third of that could prove problematic.
What year was that, DR? All I can find is 1922/3 Qualifying, but it wasn't Dundalk FC then (and my data is still incomplete!):
FAIC 1922/3 1st QR
Dundalk United v Dundalk GNR (25 Nov)
2nd QR
Dundalk Town 0-8 Dundalk GNR (09 Dec)
3rd QR
Drogheda United lost to Dundalk GNR (16 Dec)
4th Qualifying Round (30 Dec):
Dundalk GNR 0-1 Bray Unknowns Q
[Carroll]
Was in the early/ mid 80's, as far as I can remember.
My faulty memory , Bank Rovers played Cork City away n the FAI cup in 1985.They got shafted by Cork on the gate receipts, quelle surprise.Thought they had a home fixture v Dundalk, but am clearly losing it!
Yeah, must have been more hoped that it would be Dundalk v Bank Rovers drawn which had memory morphed over time and it was actually Cork that Bank got, I was 6 or 7 at the time so thats my excuse. I still think thats too long ago so was there another Dundalk based Junior/Inter side that were in the cup draw? Id love to hear more on the gate receipts incident!!
Usual stuff, non -league team bring 1500 down to game and get a % of that rather than the actual crowd.A lot of shenanigans around divvying up FAI gate money at the time ( still ?) with the FAI and home clubs usually shafting the unwary.
Mid and East Antrim BC are the supercouncil formed from the merger of Larne Carrickfergus and Ballymena Borough Councils a few years back.
I wish that Causeway Coast and Glens were as proactive, Coleraine and the 2 Uniteds; Limavady and Ballymoney could do with a bit of work on their grounds.
Bank were a strong FAIIC team in the 1980s and played in what is usually called the Cup "proper" in three seasons, their opponents being Waterford (1983/4 at OP, lost 0-5), Cork City (1984/5 away, lost 2-0), Bohemians (1986/7 at OP, lost 1-2).
(Time to stop this one, way off topic!)
Afaik Coleraine had been thinking of moving to a new ground in the town a while back (existing ground has development value?), but have since decided to stay and redevelop the Showgrounds.
They made an announcement his time last year, in anticipation of Stormont re-opening and the Sub-Regional funding being made available (though the various parties at Stormont seem to have been scratching their arse instead of sorting it):
https://colerainefc.com/redevelopment-project/
Some more details from 2019 here, though obviously all put on hold due to Covid etc:
https://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/f...ds-home-922688
Last edited by EalingGreen; 13/03/2021 at 4:41 PM.
Yes, I'd heard about that. The idea floating around a few years ago was to build a stadium at the council owned Rugby Avenue pitches which isn't too far away from the Showgrounds and just across the road from the rugby club. The Showgrounds are owned by the North Derry Agricultural Society but Coleraine have been on site for ever. I don't know how much support the council would give to a facility not owned by them although MEA don't own Inver Park in Larne or Taylors Avenue in Carrick either. Rugby Avenue would have been a lot more accessible than the Showgrounds in terms of parking etc. although if anyone ever gets the train to matches The Showgrounds is about 5 minutes walk as long as you don't have to wait too long for the barrier to go up.
Nice to hear of someone screwing the bank for once rather then the other way around
For anyone interested, Bank Rovers were run by the two characters who do Dundalk FM now, John Murphy and Gussie Hearty, both played for DFC, John was league winning captain in 1963, featuring the legend Jimmy Hasty, what all of this has to do with Stadium Updates, I have no idea !!!!!
#DundalkFC - First Irish club to win an away game in Europe (1963), only Irish club to win a game / points in Europa League Group Stage (2016).
Sorry missed this, yes it was Def Bank Rovers who played Cork mid 80's. On the grass pitch DFC use for away game training, def seems to be only in good shape say April - Oct. Usually its fine as the LOI season normally ends late Oct, obv not last year, then EL group games thrown in, just in time for the grass pitch to start its seasonal issues !I hadnt heard that and its no harm to be more visible in the town and a few € in to a local junior club. Its very open though at Quay Celtic so I hope there is no secret set piece work being down and spies dispatched. I thought Hiney Park had drainage work done a number of years back before Gerry Matthews had to sell it and its at a higher point of the Flurry Glen in general. Although with the flooding that happens on the Ardee Rd I suppose any amount of drainage could be overwhelmed at times. I dont recall the Grammar pitches too get too heavy or flooding and they'd be much lower.
(A quick question Oriel, did Dundalk FC draw another Dundalk club in the FAI Cup years ago do you recall or was it just a possibility with the Quay(?) qualifying one year, there were some very good local junior clubs 80s/90s).
#DundalkFC - First Irish club to win an away game in Europe (1963), only Irish club to win a game / points in Europa League Group Stage (2016).
86/87 and game in Oriel fits better with the memory, so thanks for that and yup apologies for pulling things off topic!
Unlikely to actually happen which will be a real shame considering the club is currently relatively flush, but Dundalk Grammar School are looking to sell all their land bank beside and to the back of Oriel Park. If there is any ambition to properly do something with Oriel this is a one off chance before it becomes landlocked by housing.
https://www.louthcoco.ie/en/publicat...ission-web.pdf
Cant see wild Bill paying residential development land prices for training pitches/ car parking.
If it does happen and it was anyway decent would you consider playing there and use Oriel for training.
20 Friday nights a year might be something that could be worked out with the School.
Last edited by sbgawa; 29/03/2021 at 12:26 PM.
Are the plans for the 5k capacity athletics ground available to see anywhere?
If only running tracks were 600m instead of 400, and it wouldnt be such a narrow type pitch. There have yet to be any architects rendition of what the school is planning, whether it would be suitable for LoI, i doubt it. It's likely to be bleacher type seating ala US High Schools. It is to be a self funded development so why the school will want to maximise their land asset with rezoning but if there was contribution from elsewhere the top end value of the land wouldnt be the be all and end all. Even if it was rezoned and DFC were willing to dip the toes in well it would be an asset for the club as Hiney Park was and it helped save the club in the past. Its in an ideal world that the club would show interest but even in the normal world of Bill, buying such land adds to the value of the club and can be sold again if their long term plans dont pan out. What would be a pain is if (by some miracle on current form) we spent the next 3 years in European groups, got a wad of money but the ship has sailed in terms of improving Oriel properly. How much would a greenfield site cost to develop in the long run compared to shorter term hedging bets by acquiring land with a view to building a stand behind the Carrick end, never mind not having to rent training pitches or looking for places to accommodate underage, womens teams etc. There is more that makes sense to taking this opportunity than against, even if it meant borrowing initially. But the estimated cost is about half of this years EL earnings. There are issues with the Oriel footprint crossing potentially Casey Trust land and land that would be owned directly by DFC but that isnt an insurmountable obstacle.
I would certainly be happy to use the schools facility if it was suitable. It would have all the benefits of location that Oriel has which is seen as very important. I happen to have grown up in the street to the immediate north of this new project and was at the school too so home from home for me. It is probably more likely that Oriel will basically stay the same, continue in use for domestic games, and Dublin venues rented for Europe. Path of least (financial) resistance. But with WC bids, regional development designation, border area with new Peace Plus project inc Brexit impact focus, Dundalk FC, over the medium term could and should make Oriel an important modern amenity hub. The Furry Glen where this land is being sold is already widely used by runners and could be enhanced as a recreational space. I would even suggest that part of it could be developed for housing to offset significant cost. If there is a bidding war on this patch of dirt then yeah it could push it out of the 'no brainer' area.
Last edited by Nesta99; 29/03/2021 at 1:21 PM.
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